Locking device for folding partitions



Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,498

E. B. SMITH LOCKING DEVICE FOR FOLDING PARTITIONS Filed Sept. 15, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gm? l A INVENTOR EzR/i SM/TH BY 5 /W ,AQ/'W 4 ORNEYS `-r:. B. sMlrTH LOCKING DEVICE FOR FOLDING PARTITIONS Dec. 28 1926.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed sept. 15. 1925 Y mm ATTORN 5 Dec. 28 1926.

E. B. SMITH LOCKING DEVICE FOR FOLDING PARTITIONS Filed Sept. l5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR FZHA 5. .3M/TH AT1' RNEYS Patented Dec. 218V, 1926.

UNITED s'rprrssl .PATENT 'ori-ilca- Ezna B. sami, or cfgIcaGo, ILLINoIs, assIGNoa To 'ma J. G. wILsoN comom'rIoN,

` or Naw aromi,I N. Y., a conronAIIoN or VIRGINIA. y

.nocxING nnvrcn Non FoLnING rAB'rrrIoNs.

"Miniemen nle'd september 15, 1925.y serial No.y 56,434.

This invention relates to folding partitions yor doors which are arranged to sllde along suitable-guideways or tracks across a vdoor opening, and also'to swing with relation to the guideways into positions substantially perpendicular to the opening.

As is well known to those skilled in theartJ it is highly important that the doors of the folding artition when in folded position shall be ocked securely from slidin movement along thetracks 'in either direction, The doors at points adjacent the track when folded should-be heldfirmly in spaced relation Jand' should also be locked from bodily slidlng movement in a direction awayfrom that side of the doorwa. adjacent ,towhich the doors are folded. T is insures a normal regular unfolding of the doors in succession during the closing operation and'eliminates dan/ger of jambing and breaka e of the parts which often occurs when the oors are not properly locked in position. The doors should be locked in position upon folding the same as soon asthey start to` fold and should be maintained in locked condition while foldedl and during the unfolding operation until just before the doors are swung into the plane of the doorway in position toslide along the-tracks.

I The princi al objects of the present invention are to Improve the construction' and mode of operation of the locking devices for lockingthe doors of a folding partition from movement along the track or tracks -when in folded positions, and to. provide a construction which will operate to lock the doors during the first part of the folding movement thereof and to unlockthe doors during the 40 last part of the unfolding movement.- thereof.

, With the above objectsfin view, thelinvenvtion comprises the novel and improved features, constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and articularly pointed out in the claims, the a vantages of A`which will'be readily understood and appre- .l ciated bythose skilled'in the art.

plane of the door' v v Fig. 1 isa view infront elevationillustrating the invention in its preferred form and 5o the following detailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawingsing a folding partition embodying the invention with the doors thereof in closed position;

Fig.` 2 is a view in horizontal section of the partition with certain of the doors in foldedy positions and'certain of the doors-in 60 partially folded position; A

Fig. 3 is a'view in vertical-'section taken substantially'on the line 3-3of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 isha view in vertical section illustratvingthe devices shown in the, u p er part of -Fig. 3 vwith certain parts in d1 erent positions; Fig. 5 1s a detail view 1n side elevation 1l.-y

lustrating certain of the locking devices for locking the doors;

Fig.46 is a view in horizontal section of the partition structure taken substantially on-the line66ofFig. 7;

Fig. 7 is a view in front"4 elevation of the structure Yshown in broken away; Y

Figf is a view partly iny front elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating the devices for guiding the lower portions o the doors and for locking certain of the doors'inA 80 position; y ,A

Fig. 9 isa viewin horizontal section taken substantially on the line 9-9 of'Fig. 8j;

Fig. 10 is a view in horizontal section illusrrating the mode of operation of the lockin devices shown in Figs. Sand 9;

ig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. v-8 illus-- trating a modified form of the locking devices for lockingthelower portions df certain of the doors; l

Fig. 12 is a. view in horizontal vsection-illustrating the mode of operation of the lockdevices shown iny Figgll;

in '-`ig. 13 is a diagrammatic-view illustrat- Fig. V6 with certain parts 75 I. I

. partition are mount-ed for sliding and swingingmovement in upper'and lower guideways or tracks extending across the doorway.

Each section of the partition comprises doors 1. and 2,'t-hese doors being hinged tolgether by means of hinges 6v to swing with relation to each other; The left end door 1 of the partition, Fig. 1, is pivoted to swing upon upper and lower pivot bolts or studs 8 engaging in suitable bearings in the door frame. Thus this door is anchored to swing about a fixed vertical axis. The doors are guided at their upper margins by means of rollers 9 rotatably mounted upon fixed studs 10 secured in the doors', the rollers engaging thesides of a U-shaped track or guideway 12y secured in a frame 14 at the upper margin of the doorway. The track 12l 1s supported upon angle plates 16 secured to the frame 14.

The doors are guided at their lower margins by'means of casters 18 running upon a `suitable track 20. The casters 18 are journaled upon a bracket or hanger 22 secured to'the lower end of a caster bolt 24 mounted for longitudinal and rotative movement in ,a frame 26 secured in the lower vmargin of 'frame 26 is limited b the door. The bracket 22 carries a guiding projection or plate 28 `which enga es in a groove 29 in the track 20 and gui es each door in the direction of the track and also revents the caster `bolt from rotating durmg the pivotal movement of the door. Each of the caster bolts is provided with a spring 30 interposed between a collar on the bolt and a crosspiece on thel frame 26 which maintains the casters 18 at all times in contact' with the track, thus compensating for any unevenness. in the track which might tend to lift the casters from'the track. The upward movement of the caster bolt in the an adjustable abut- 'ment screw 32 with w ich the upper end of the caster bolt en ages. Preferably the oors 2 of each section except the left-hand section are respectively provided with pins 31 which engage in the upper guideway and hold the doors of a section extended position in substantially the saine plane except when the section has r been slid along the guideways to folding position at one side of the doorway. The upperv guideway frame 14 and the associated devices are formed with a slot 33 with which movement. c

the respective pins 31 register when the corresponding sections are moved into folding position, this slot being arranged to receive the respectivepins 31 as the severa] sections are folded.

In order to lock the doors from movement along the guideway, in the present embodiment of the invention, devices are provided for locking both the upper and lower margins of the doors. These locking devices are applied to the door of leach section nearer that side of thev doorway adjacent to which the sections are folded except. the door of the sectionwhich is folded. The doorv 1 of the latter section is anchored inposition by the pivot bolts 8 and has vtmly.-a pivotal The locking devicesl for margin of each of the doors 1vr comprise ockmg dogs 34 and' 35 secured to a plate36 which is plvoted to turn on the stud 10 on which Athe roller 9 is journaled. These dogs are'arranged to engage respectivel the teeth of rack bars 38 and 40 secure to the angle plates 16 within the upper guideway. The dog 34 when engaged with the rack 38 will lock the door 1 from movementr alongA the 'guideway in a direction away from the previously folded sections while the dogyk 5" when engaged with the rack 40l will lock the door 1 from movement along the uideway in a direction toward the previous y folded" sections.

The dogs are yacted upon by a* coiled l spring 42 which tends to carry the same into engagement with the respective racks 38 and 40. The dogs arev held out of'engagement with the racks by a pin 44 mounted on the door 1 and arranged to engage the dog 34 as shown in Fig. 6. he extreme right-hand door 1 is shownv in Fi 6 in unfolded position with the dogs 34 an 35 held out of engagement with racks 38 and 4 0 by the pin 44. s a section is folded, the swinging of the door l of the section carries the dogs into engagement with the racks during the first part of the folding movement, thereby locking the door 'i from sliding movement in either directionA along the guideway. Duringthe continued swinging movement of the door 1, after thedogs engage the racks, the spring 42 yields and the dogs are held thereby firmly in en gagement with the racks. As the sectionis unfolded, the door 1 is held from sliding movement alon the guidew'ay until'the last.

part of the un olding movement, when the. pm 44 engages the dog 34 and disengagesv the dogs from the racks. v

The locklng devices for the lower margins ofthe doors 1 are similar in construction and mode of operation to the devices for lock# ing the upper margins of the doors. the construction shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the locking devices for the lower margins lao of the doors comprise locking dogs 16 and t18 mounted upon a common carrier 5() piv otcd upon the caster holtQJf. 'lher-e locking dogs are arranged t-o engage respectively in notches .'32 and 51 formed in the. sides of the groove 2t). The engagement of the dog 46 in the notch 52 will lock the door 1 from movement along the tra-ck in a direction toward the previously folded doors, while the engagement of thc dog 48 in thenotch 54 will lock the door from movement in the opposite direct-ion along the. track.

The carrier 5() is acted upon by a coiled spring 56 which tends lo swing the same in a direction to carry the locking dogs into engagement. with the notches in the groove.'

29. The dogs are held out of engagement with the notches when the doors of a section are in unfolded position by means of a pin 58 mounted in the frame 25 and engaging -lhe dog 48, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

During the folding of a section, the dogs 46 and Lt8 are carried into locking engagement with the locking notches 52 and Y5st during the first part of the folding movement of the. section, are held in engagement. with the notches while the section is folded, rnd are disengaged from the notches during the last part of the unfolding movement of the section in substantially the same manner that the dogs 34 and 35 are engaged with and disengaged from the racks 38 and 40 as described above.

ln the construction shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the locking dogs have ksubstantially the same construction, arrangement and mode ot' operation as the locking dogs shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, except that the dogs shown in Figs. 11 andlf do not extend into the groove Q9 but :trelocated above the track to swing over the same and are arranged to engage in notches 60 and 62 formed respectively in blocks 64 and 6G secured to the fioor alongside the track. As shown in Fig. 12, the blocks G4 and 66 are located outside of the path of the casters 18, so that they will not interfere with the sliding move ment of the doors.

ln the construction shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 1t), and also in the construction shown in Figs. 11 and 12. the carrier 50 for the locking dogs` is held in engagement with a shoulder on the bracket 22 secured to the locking holt so that the dogs are maintained in a constant verticalposition with relation to the caster bolt and to the track.

The pin 31 on each of the doors 2 of the right hand and central sections ofthe partition. together with the slot 33 determine the point in the gu-ideways at- ,wh'ich these doors' may he locked and prevent them from beingv locked in' the wrong position. Tl1ese doors vthus can ybe turned into locking position only vwhen the locking devices at the bottom of the doors are in vposition to'engage the` corresponding locking devices along the lower track.

The locking devices are preferably a.r ranged to maintain the doors to which they are applied in locked condition until the pin 31 passes inwardly through the slot 33 and enters the upper guideway as shown yin Fig. 15 (hiring the unfolding of a section. The locking devices thus will prevent movement of the sections along the tracks until the doors thereof are substantially completely unfolded and ready for trackwise movement. The'. door 1 of a section cannot be locked during the folding of the section until the pin 251 mounted'thereon enters the slot 3?. Thus thi` door cannot be locked except. when the. pin 31 is in position to en- .gage in the slot 32. 'lhe cooperation of the locking device and pins 3l together with slot 2323 will prevent the doors of a. section from lieing slid along the guideways while the pin 31 on said section is located outside the frame 1-1 as often happens with other constructions and also insures the locking of the doors at the proper point in the guidewav.

With the above construction, the door 1 of each section of the partition will be locked lirmly in position against sliding movement along the tr. ek during the folding operation substantially as soon as the section starts to fold and will be maintained in locked condition While the section is completely or partially folded. The locking devices at the upper and lower margins of each of the doors 1 will lock the said doors from movement toward the previously folded doors, thereby maintaining the doors in proper spaced relation, and will also lock the doors from movement in the opposite direction along the tracks. In the unfolding operation, the doors 1 will be maintained in locked condi-. tion until linst before the two doors' ofa sectionv are swung into' alignment and into the central plane of the doorway. The doors will then be unlocked and are free to slide in thev plane of the doorway along the upper and lower tracks in the usual manner.

The locking devices may be actuated to lock the doors during the first 1()o or even less of the initial swinging movement of the doors in folding same, and to unlock the. doors during the last 10 or less of the swinging movement during unfolding.

It is-tobe understood that the invention is not limited tothe particular construction and arrangement of parts of the illustrated embodiment rof the invention, but that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope ofthefclaims. v l

IHaving explained the nature-and object of the invention and having specifically de iii) scribed a construction 'embodying the invention-in its referred form, whati's claimed is:

1. .A fo ding I )artitionl construction com-y prising hingedly connected doors, a guideway along which the doors are arranged to slid(` and locking devices for locking one of the doors from movement in either direction along the guideway when the doors are foldrd. constructed and arranged to operate to :5. A folding partition construction coIn-' prising a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swmging movement along the guldeway, a locking dog pivotally connected with the door adjacent the axis upon which the door swings, means mounted alongside the guideway for engagement with the dog to lock the door from movement along the guideway, a spring tending to swing the dog with relation to the door into engagement witlrsaid means and, a stop on the door arrangedto engage the dog to hold the dog out of engagement with said means when the door is in position to slide and to allow the dog to engage said means when the door is folded.

4. A folding partition construction comprising a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the guideway and locking devices for locking the door from movement in either direction along the guideway, constructed and arranged to lock the door during the first part of its folding movement.

5. A foldingvpartition construction comprising a guideway, 'a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the guideway and one or more locking dogs yieldingly connected with the door. for locking the door from movement along the giiideway when the door is folded, constructed and arranged to lock the door during the first part of its folding movement.

6. A folding partition construction com-v prising a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the guideway and two oppositely acting locking dogs l for locking the door from movement in either direction along the guideway when the door is folded` constructed and arranged to lock the door during the firstV part of its folding movement andl to unlock the same during the las? part of its unfolding movement, and means (3o-operatingy with the respective dogs to lockthe-door.`

7. A folding partition construction comprising a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the guideway, oppositely acting locking dogs connected yieldingly with the door for locking the door from movement along the guideway when the door is folded, constructed and arranged to lock the door during the first party of its folding movement and to unlock the same during the last parl of its unfolding movement,` and rack hars on opposite sides of the guideway for engagement with the locking dogs to lock the door.

8. A folding partition construction comprising a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the guideway, a dog vicldingly connected with the door for locking the door from movement along the guiderway when the door is folded and a ratchet arranged t-o he engaged by the dog to lock the door.

9. A folding partition construction comprising a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the gnideway, a locking dog yieldingly connected with the door for locking the door from movement along the guideway when the door is folded, means yieldingly engaged h v the locking dog to lock the door in position when the door is swung out of the plane of the doorway, and a device for disengaging the dog from said means when the door is swung back into the plane of the doorway.

10. A folding partition construction compricing in combination a frame having a guideway and a slot leading to the guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement, a pin mounted on the door for engaging in the guideway during the sliding movement of the door and arranged to pass through the slot during the swinging movement of the door and locking means arranged to hold the door locked against sliding movement while the door is wholly or partially folded and to hold the door unlocked while in unfolded condition and until the pin enters the slot at the beginning of the folding movement of the door.

11. A folding partition construction comprising in combination a frame .having a. guideway and a slot leading to the gindeway, a door mounted for sliding land lswinging movement, a pin mounted on the door for engaging in the guideway during the sliding movement ofthe door and arranged to pass through the slot during the swin ing movement ofthe door and a movahff locking device arranged to. lock the door from sliding movement along" the guideway as soon as the pin is swung .out-of the guideway during the folding movement of the door and arranged to maintain the door in locked condition -nntill the pin isV swung back into the guideway during the unfolding movement of the door. t

12. A folding partition construction comprising in combination upper and lower guideways, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along said guideways, locking levices mounted on the bottom of the door and arranged to be thrown into operation b v the folding movement of the door, co-operating locking devices arranged along the lower guide\\'a v, a pin mounted on the top of the door and devices co-operating with the pin to cause the registration of the locking devices on the bottom of the doorv with the co-operating locking devices along the lower guideway before the door can swing into locking position.

13. A folding partition construction comprising in combination a guideway, adoor mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the gnidevav and a locking device yieldingly connected with the door and actuated by pivotal movement thereof from locking the door against movement along the gnideway.

14. A folding partition construction comprising in combination a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along the guidewav.I a locking device movabl)y mounted on the door for locking the door against movement along the guideway when the. door is swung out of line with the gnidewavv and means actuated by the swingingr movement of the door for controlling the locking device.

l5. A folding partition.construction comprising upper and lo`wer^`t`mcks, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along said tracks and locking means for locking the hase of the door from lnovenient in either direction along the lower track when the door is swung out of line with they tracks.

1G. A folding partition construction comprising upper and lower tracks a' door mounted for sliding-and swinging movement along said tracks and locking means carried by the hase of the door and cooperating locking devices on opposite sides of the lower track for engagement with said locking means when the door is swung out of line with the tracks for locking the base of the door from movement in either direction along the lower track.

17. A folding partition construction, comprising in combination a grooved lower track, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movement-s along said track, a locking device mountdon tliedoor to yield with relation to the door and engaging in the groove of said track. and a cooperating fixed locking device mounted in the groove andl arranged to be engaged Bb v said first locking device when the door is swung into folded position to lock the door from m'ovement along the track.

18. A folding partition construction com'- prising in combination a guidewa'v. a door mounted for shdlng and swlngng movements along the guideway, a pivot upon -which the door is arranged to swing during the folding movement thereof. and a locking device pivotally mounted to turn relatively to the door on said pivot and actuated from the door as the door is swung into folded position for locking the door from movement along the track.

19. A folding partition construction comprising in combination a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movements along the guideway, a pivot about which the door is arranged to swing during the folding movement thereof and a locking dog pivoted on said pivot to swing relatively to the door and arranged to lock the door from movement along the track as the door is swung into folded position.

20. A folding partition construction comprising in combination a guideway, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movements along the guideway and a locking dog pivotally mounted on the door and yieldingly connected therewith for locking the door from movement along the guideway when the door is folded.

2l. A folding partition construction comprising in combination an upper guideway, a door. mounted for sliding and swinging movements along the guideway, a stud mounted on the door, an anti-friction device pivotally supported on the stud and engaging the sides of the guideway, and a locking device pivoted on the stud to swing relatively to the door for locking the door from movement along the gnideway when thel door is folded.

22. A folding partition construcliol. comprising in combination a lower track, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movements along the track, a caster bolt attached to the lower margin of the door, one or more castersmounted on the caster bolt to turn on substantially horizontal axes and resting on the track and a locking device pivoted on the caster bolt for locking the door from movement along the guideway when the door is folded.

23. A folding partition construction com` prising a lower grooved track, a door mounted for sliding and swinging' movements along the track, a pivoted locking dog mounted on the door to swing relatively to the door in a plane substantially parallel with the .plane of swinging movement of the door and engaging in the groove in said track, and cooperating devices mounted within the groove in thet'raekand arranged Y to be engaged by the -locking dog to lockv the door from movementalong the track when the ,door is folded.

:24, A foldingpartition construction comprising. in combination a lower grooved lso track, a door mounted for sliding and swinging movements along the track, oppositely acting pivoted locking dogs mounted on the door to swing relatively to the door in a plane substantially' parallel to the plane of swinging movement ofthe door and engaging in the groove in the track, and devices mounted in said groove on` opposite sides thereof for engagement respectively by said locking dogs to lock the door from movel0 ment along the track when the door is in folded position.

Signed at New York. N. Y., Aug. 20, 1925.

EZRA B. SMITH. 

